Sellers Look for Ways to Offset ’07 Slowdown

ruck dealers said they are making plans to weather the expected slowdown in heavy-duty truck sales next year, even as 2006 shapes up as one of their best sales year ever.

Fleets are ordering trucks at record levels now so they can postpone buying 2007-model trucks with new emission controls and higher price tags.

Dealers told Transport Topics they expect revenue from service and parts, strong used-truck sales and increased de-mand for medium-duty trucks to sustain them during what’s expected to be a sluggish first half next year. They also said that they expect to be busy through February 2007, selling off the last of their 2006 model trucks.